Shall We Dance?
by Maximum55Fan
Summary: Bosco comes to Faith's rescue...
1. Chapter 1

I could not believe my eyes. There, right in the front window of this meat market of a bar, was my partner, Faith Yokas, knocking 'em back. I was on my home from Ma's bar, and passed by this place pretty much every time - it was on my usual route. It was major pick-up joint for all the cougars on the prowl. And was the last place I would have ever expected to see her. She appeared to be having a pretty good time, the kind of good time that could lead to not-so-good times, if you know what I mean. The sort of not-so-good times that one might need one's partner to help one get out of. I decided to head in, to keep an eye on things and make sure she didn't need any back up. I took a seat at the bar, scoping out a location where I could keep an eye on her, without being seen.

I had been watching her down margaritas from across the bar for over an hour. So far, it looked like she was holding her own with the rest of the group she was there with, 4 or 5 other thirty-something women, clearly hell-bent on having a good time.

Unfortunately, in keeping a close eye on Faith, I had neglected to keep a equally close eye on the others ladies with her. I nearly fell off my bar stool when a tall, good-looking blonde, who I swear just moments before was doing shots with Faith at their table, tapped me on the shoulder. The slightly shorter, equally good looking blonde with her had also been part of Faith's group. She smiled at me as I attempted to regain my balance and my dignity. As I was working on failing at both, blonde #1 jerked her thumb over her shoulder, and at the same time, said;

"You're gong to have to get your butt over there, lover boy"

Okay, that isn't what I was expecting. I thought I was being busted for staring at their friend, at my partner. They had apparently noticed I had been gawking, but had given it a different meaning, thinking I was on the prowl myself. Okay, Boscorelli, play it cool...

"Excuse me?" Well, okay, kind of cool. Don't want to stun them with my prowess. The voice cracking part was just a nice added touch on my part.

"You're going to have to make the first move. We told her to come over and ask you to dance, but she won't. So it's up to you"

Blonde #2 giggled while trying to drink her margarita, light her cigarette and give me a bawdy wink, all at the same time. So far, she was 0 for 3.

"Sorry, don't know what you're talking about." Good one, Boscorelli. Still playing it low key, not wanting to overwhelm them with my coolness.

"Oh puuuuuleeeeze. Our friend over there? The one you haven't take your eyes off for the past hour? She ain't coming over, you're going to have to bite the bullet and take the first step"

If only she knew how literally right she could be – if I hit on Faith, the odds of getting my shot with the bullet I was trying to bite were pretty good.

"Come on, she's been watching you too. She's just a little more subtle"

Huh. It had apparently been too long since I had been scoping out the ladies. I really had thought I was being inconspicuous. My attempt at discreet observation, or apparently, just plain gawking, was a source of amusement, based on the drunken giggles surrounding me.

"So, she's been watching me too? You sure?" That bit of information made me forget about trying to be cool, actually made it a little hard to breathe.

"Oh yeah, we thought you must be someone she knew, but she said not. So you must be someone she wants to get to know, if you know what I mean." Blonde #1 leaned in closer and leered at me suggestively. At least I think that's what she was doing. She may have just lost her balance, or a contact, it was hard to tell as she did a near face-plant in the peanuts.

"It's kind of hard to tell with her, I've never seen her checking someone out before but she sure has had her eye on you, think she wants to her hands on other parts too" Giggle, giggle. "Her name is Faith, go ask her to dance. Between us, she could use some good looking stud paying her some attention – her ass of a husband sure has never bothered."

"Ex-husband, remember!" Blonde #1 had pulled herself up off the bar to indignantly and drunkenly correct her friend.

"Right, and thank the good Lord for that!"

"So you think she wants to get to know me, do you?" The gigglemint twins had made a good point about Fred being an ass - I'd thought that for years. But I was still stuck on Faith saying she didn't know me. Why would she say that? And she was checking me out too? Hmmm, this was an interesting development 

"Okay, thanks for the, uh, suggestion, ladies. I'll give it some thought"

"Well don't think too long. You're not the only Romeo on the prowl here tonight, and Faith is looking for a good time."

They did the too-drunk two-step into the ladies bathroom, while I sat and tried to sort out the fact from fiction of the margarita-tinted conversation I'd just had. Faith is out looking for a good time! What the hell does that mean? This was quickly looking like there was a lot of potential for things to go really, really bad. If Faith was lookin' for love, I did NOT want to be a witness. But at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to leave her at the mercy of these drunken slobs, circling like sharks around her and her friends, all just looking for a quick snack...

I was still pondering my next move when one of the bombed blondes landed in my lap.

"You're still here! Come on - get your ass over there!"

"Don't be scared - it's a pretty nice ass – she'll like it, trust us." The blonde in my lap bent around me and checked me out.

"Let's see, stand up"

The blonde not in my lap (# 1 or #2 - I really couldn't tell them apart) yanked me to my feet, dislodging her friend to the floor, grabbing and lifting the back of my coat to get a closer look at the, um, asset in question. It apparently passed muster, as she gave it an approving little pat.

"Yep, it's a nice one. Hey, if it doesn't work out with Faith, don't consider the evening a loss. We're still, uh, well, we like to dance too."

"Although the way you two have been making eyes at each other, odds are good, something's going to work out." Big surprise - giggling ensued. 

Making eyes? We hadn't been making eyes! What the hell does that mean, anyway. How the hell do "make eyes" at someone? I didn't have a lot of time to consider this further, as I suddenly found myself in a tangle of girl parts and perfume, being dragged across the floor of the bar.

"Faith? Faith! Hey, pay attention over here, someone wants to meet you!"

Faith turned in mid-gulp of her margarita, and almost choked. Her eyes widened at the sight of me, Bosco her old partner, grinning at her, the knight in shining armour her friends had decided was her best bet for the night.

"Faith this is…uh…"

"Maurice. Nicetomeetyou"

"Maurice?"

"Yeah, Maurice Boscorelli. I know, sort of a dorky name. What can I say? You can call me Moe, if that's better. So you're Faith, right?" 

"Uhhhh..."

"Okay Faith, better slow down on the drinks. I think you've killed enough brain cells for one night! Introductions – Faith Yokas, Maurice Boscerelli – "

"Mitchell – it's Faith Mitchell now, 'member" The blondes were still at it, with blonde #1 trying to discreetly hiss in blonde #2's ear, and managing to broadcast it the surrounding 30 people at least.

Blonde #2 slapped herself in the forehead

"Oh geez, right – _Mitchell_ Okay, Moe, Faith. Faith, Moe. Now put your drink down and dance with the nice man." Blonde #1 gave her a little push. 

Now that I was closer, I could see she wasn't really drunk, had obviously been playing up how much she'd been drinking for the others, but she was unsteady enough on her feet to be thrown off balance by her friends shove and landed directly in my arms. I smiled down at her as she braced herself against my chest, attempting to regain her balance. "Hi Faith Mitchell. Nice to meet you."


	2. Chapter 2

While Faith struggled to right herself, I took a moment to enjoy the sensations that touching her, holding her, were giving me. It had been a while since I'd held a woman - any woman - in my arms. I wasn't expecting it to be Faith, but was willing to take it. Touching wasn't something we did a lot – putting pressure on bleeding wounds or performing CPR did not count in my books. Just touching, the human pleasure of the pressure of skin on skin, wasn't anything we really ever allowed ourselves the luxury of.

And luxury it was. Like I said, I hadn't really expected to be holding Fairh ever, but at this moment, it was the most natural thing in the world. To be honest, I was surprised. I mean, 90 of the time, I see her in police blues, with a bullet proof vest providing an androgynous outer shell. I knew she had a nice figure, but didn't know how nice it would feel leaning up against me. That was the surprising part. As she pushed a little harder against me, I realized that I had been unconsciously working against her, holding her to me. Whoops. _Bad partner. Mustn't prolong the enjoyable experience of touching of one's partner. Bad, BAD partner_.

I loosened my grip and gently maneuvered her into a steady and upright position. She gave herself a slight shake and brought her head around to look me squarely in the eyes. She was forcing a smile through tightly clenched lips as she hissed under her breath;

"Bos - what the hell -"

"Shhhh….Maurice, my name is Maurice, remember? Or Moe, if you prefer."

I had placed my finger on her mouth as she had started to talk and she glared at me as I kept it there. She clearly wanted to knock my hand away and probably run from the bar, but she did not want to cause a scene with her friends watching. I looked behind her at her friends. The bubbly, bawdy blondes gave me a thumbs up, encouraging me to keep doing what I was doing. I decided to take advantage of Faith's uncertainty and, taking her by the hand, led her out to the dance floor. I should have been surprised by how nicely her hand fit into mine or how natural it was to twine my fingers with hers, but this night had clearly slipped in to the twilight zone, and I wasn't going to fight it.

While we had been talking, the music was loud and fast, making conversation difficult. But as we maneuvered our way through the crowd, the music slowed into something country, about true love lost and found, and the bodies on the floor moved into sensually swaying twosomes. I checked my watch – crap. It was heading into 'that time of the night', you know, time to fish or cut bait, when everyone's hookin' up or heading out. Okay, maybe not the best time to start dancing with one's former partner and best friend _still and always,_ but we were on the floor now. Too late to turn and run. I stopped about halfway to the back of the floor, off to one side. I was trying to avoid the prying eyes of her friends but blonde #1/#2 had latched onto to some poor schmoo who thought he had died and gone to heaven, and was leading him in a lurching dance towards us, a la electric slide meets electric jello. I turned and faced her, sliding my free arm around her waist, not letting go of her hand, in case she tried to bolt and run, as every fiber of her being was telegraphing she was ready to do.

She froze for a moment as she felt me pull her closer, but her friend bumped into us at that moment. Giggling, Blondie leaned in to give Faith a kiss on the cheek, patted my arm, said "You two look so cute!!" and dragged her besotted cowboy away. Faith watched them as they staggered away and then turned to me;

"Okaaay, _Maurice_. what the hell are you doing, _Maurice_?"

"Good, now you got it right." I smiled at her encouragingly. She glared back.

"Okay, well, your friends there noticed I'd been watching you, and thought that you wanted to dance, so they suggested I make the first move. So, here I am"

"Oh really. So this is you….making your move...on me."

"Well, we're dancing, so I guess that's a decent start"

She opened her mouth, obviously bent on arguing further. It was time to move on.

"So Faith - tell me about yourself. There seemed to be some confusion about at your last name. What, did you just get married or something?"

She continued to stare at me suspiciously, as I made every effort to look innocent and open. She held her head slightly cocked to one side, appraising my intentions. After a full minute of her scrutiny, under which I was really beginning to sweat, she nodded slightly to herself, coming to some sort of decision.

"It's Mitchell. Faith Mitchell. Used to Yokas. I guess that's why we're here - celebrating my divorce. It was, uh, finalized today. Some of the ex-wives of the other jackasses my husband used to play ball with wanted to celebrate another 'victory for the sisterhood', whatever the hell that means. So, here we are. Celebrating…"

Oh crap. This was not good. I had no idea her divorce had gone through. Although, I don't know how I could have, since up until about 2 minutes ago, we hadn't spoken in days. And even before that, we had been at each others throats. One thing about fighting with Faith, she was never afraid to hold back, never afraid to hide her anger. She hid everything else under lock and key - but anger? Anger we did just fine. Maybe Moe Boscorelli and Faith Mitchell would do better than Bosco and Yokas.

"Well it looks you were all having fun"

"Yeah, it was okay. I don't really have a lot of female friends - or friends of any sort, actually."

"Really? How come?"

She shot me a look, trying to assess if I was being Bosco or Maurice. She was obviously having difficulty accpeting that I was being totally serious about this. Me? I was having as much fun as her loaded friends - and I wouldn't have a hangover from it.

"My job. Makes it tough to have friends."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a cop - detective"

"No kidding? Me too. Cop, I mean"

"Small world..." We both smile slightly, easing a little more comfortably into our roles in the twilight zone.

"So detective, huh. How long?"

"Not long, just a few months. I was, ah, a patrol cop for almost 13 years before that."

"Really? Me too, a patrol cop, I mean. About the same amount of time actually." I pause for a moment, wondering how far to take this. "Just lost my partner. Not lost, lost, she just...moved on."

"Huh. Too bad. About your partner. That's gotta suck. So, she ditched you?" Faith looked down as she asked this, her inability to look me in the eye said everything to me, everything that I'd wanted to hear

_...I didn't want to leave you..._

"Yeah I miss her. We were a good team _together, that's why me and Yokas are one great cop. _And no, she didn't ditch me. I was...off for a while. And she needed days to try and keep her kids."

_...It's okay, I know you had to..._

"But still, don't you feel like she abandoned you?"

_...I would never have done it if it wasn't for the kids, I only wanted ever to work with you..._

"Unh-uh. No way. She had to do it. And she's good at it. Really good."

_...I'm so proud of you, you did the right thing..._

"I bet she misses you too."

_...I'm afraid of doing this alone, I'm so sorry I abadoned you..._

"Nah - she was promoted, probably never looked back." .

_..don't be sorry..._

"Well, I don't know - did you ever ask her?"

I stumbled at her words as they interrupted the flow of unspoken confessions between us. _Asked her?_ Well, shit. I was stunned for a moment as I absorbed the full impact of what she had said. I hadn't. Ever. Asked her. I can't believe it - I had never asked her how she felt. I looked at Faith closely for a moment and nodded.

_point taken and thanks _

_you're welcome, it will be okay_

"Maybe I'll do that. So what about you - did you have a partner?"

Faith looks down for a moment, a faint smile on her lips.

"Yeah, same one since I started. More or less, anyway. We had our, uh, moments, I guess but, yeah, he was always my partner. Still is, to me. When I think of partner, I still think of him."

Suddenly, I can't hear the music or the people around us. Her words have deafened me, wrapping us in a sound proof bubble of communioin. Her hand, held loosely in mine, tightens it's grip, her fingers closing in around mine. She squeezes and smiles. I see her lips moving but still cannot hear, the roar of all the words we had never said drowning her out. She's still smiling and talking. I nod like I understand and apparently that is satisfactory.

That was everything, everything that had been wrong. With me, with us. I didn't think she wanted me as her parnter anymore, thought she didn't want me, didn't believe in me. Everything I that thought was wrong with us I blamed on her. But it was me who was in the wrong.

I knew I loved her. I didn't know I was in love with her. And I had been blaming her.

Damn.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay Boscorelli, don't freak out here, keep your cool. You just realized you're in love with partner of 13 years, probably always have been. No problem, you can deal. I mean c'mon, I've been with my share of women, been in love lots of times, right?

Hunh.

Well, actually, that last part is kind of the problem, isn't it? I haven't actually ever been in love before - or rather, I always have been, and just didn't know it. I guess this would be what you might call an epiphany, huh. Now I understand why I got bored with women after a few weeks, why they were always lacking. They were lacking all right - they didn't have faith, my Faith. The Faith I'd always been looking for.

Speaking of Faith I realize I had almost forgotten she was there for a couple of minutes, and when I finally am able to focus my eyes, I realize that she's getting a bit uneasy with my silence. I plaster a fake smile onto my shell-shocked face, and tighten my arm around her waist. While the smile is work, holding her closer is the most natural thing in the world. I can't help myself, I just want to feel her against me. I'm afraid it might alarm her but it seems to provide the reassurance she's looking for.

The song ends, and another one starts. Thankfully, it's a slow one - I have no desire to let go of Faith yet. Actually, there's no way in hell I'm ever letting her go, now that I've had my earth shattering revelation but I figure one thing at a time here. I decide I had better say something, before she starts to freak out.

"So, your partner - he's not around anymore?"

My voice comes out harsher than I intend as I attempt to speak around my heart, which has firmly lodged itself in my throat. Faith flinches a bit at my tone, my words. She tenses her body, uncertain if it's something she has done that makes me sound angry. I run my thumb lightly across the fleshy part of her palm in what I hope appears to be a reassuring yet platonic gesture, and smile at her. She relaxes a bit, and eases back into my embrace.

"Um, no, no he's still around. I was promoted while he was...he was off work for a bit. Recuperating. He was shot... in the line of duty."

"Really? Tough guy, huh?"

Faith snorts. "He likes to think so. But he's not so tough." Her voice drops and I have to drop my head closer to hers, to catch her words. Bad move. The scent of her, the mix of shampoo and soap, the hint of margarita lingering on her breathe are intoxicating. I catch myself just in time, as I start to sway in to nuzzle her, inhale her, almost missing her next words.

"He's brave though. He was shot...saving me. I owe him everything.."

With those words, I feel my universe shift again. She owes **_me_**? Is she kidding me! Man, saving her was the most selfish thing I have ever done. How can she not realize that I saved her because I had to, because without her I wouldn't have had a reason to live, and that without her I would have lost the best part of me? But her words give me hope. That maybe, just maybe, someday, I can show her that she owes me nothing,

I have to fight an overwhelming desire to pick her up and run away from all these people, these eyes, run away from our pasts, all of the missteps and mistakes that led us to this point, a point where we have to pretend to be different people to be able to talk, to communicate, to say so many of the things we should have said years ago.

As these thoughts race through my mind, something must have betrayed me, maybe the look on my face, or perhaps it was an indiscriminate part of my body. Whatever it was, I sense Faith tense and try to pull away. I tighten my arm around her, and let go of her hand, bringing my fingers to her cheek, and look steadily into her eyes, trying to convey what I'm feeling without driving her away, trying to let her know that something is different, better, the same but more. I feel her hesitation as she returns my stare, I see her confusion cloud her eyes, then quickly, see the clouds clear as understanding dawns. And just as I'm about to stop breathing, I see something else, an answering spark, an acknowledgement of where our dance is leading, and an indication of her willingness to follow.

Even though neither of us has said a word, I feel like I've been a babbling like a fool, that every thought and feeling has poured out of me in an incoherent deluge. But at the same time, I know Faith understands, and hears everything I'm not saying. And just to be sure, I decide it's time to take our dance to someplace a little more private.

"So, uh, Faith, do you want get out of here?"

Did I move too fast? Did I read her wrong? Did I imagine seeing the same look in her eyes? After a heart stopping moment of long scrutiny, which leaves me starting to worry about just what she's seeing here, the smile again breaks through again, the smile that tells me it's all going to be okay, the smile that has become (_always has been, you idiot) _my reason to live.

"No, I don't think so..."

"Pardon?"

"Sorry, Moe. I can't leave with you."

Damn, this is not good. I was so sure...

"But I would...with Bosco."

"Hunh?"

Oh, smooooooth, Boscorelli. You sound like some high school dork. But I'm really not capable of saying much more, as my stomach is trying it's best to fight it's way past my heart, which had previously taken up residence around my adam's apple.

"Whaaaaaa?" Oh much better...

"Maurice, may I speak with Bosco please?"

Now it's my turn to stare, as I true to decode the messages I think, hope she's sending. I have always been so good at this, so good at knowing what women are saying. But this, this is like learning a new language and I'm lost.

"Bosco?"

"Look Maurice, you're a nice guy - but you're no Bosco. So please, can I have him back??" She gives me a pleading look, one I've never been able to refuse.

"Sure, Faith. What ever you want." 

"Hmnmm not sure if that sounds like my Bosoc yet, but it's a start"

My Bosco... has a nice ring to it. I'm pondering the possibilities of being Faiths' Bosco when I realize she is asking me a question.

"Sorry, I missed that."

"I said, is the offer still open? To, you know, get out of here? Now that I've got you Boz, I was thinking we could go somewhere and talk?"

"Talk?"

"Yeah, talk. I'm thinking, we maybe don't do that enough. I mean, I know I talked your ear off in the hospital. Bu I'm guessing that doesn't count, with you having been unconscious and all. So, you know, maybe there's some stuff we should have said...over the years...maybe some stuff that, that still needs to be said. Maybe it's not too late. If Faith Mitchell and Maurice can do it, maybe we can too"

I have a hard time hearing her, as she appears to be speaking to the second button on my shirt, her head ducked uncertainly. Faith unsure of herself, uncertain of what she is doing or saying? Wow, this really is an evening of firsts. I smile a little but keep my amusement to myself, knowing it could be misinterpreted, that tonight the dance we are really dancing is not the one floor, and we are still learning the steps.

"Yeah, we could do that." My voice is soft, husky, as I take her hand and we leave the bar. I am overwhelmed by all the feelings I have for her, the sort of feelings I always thought guys were such weak dorks to have and that area apparently alive and kicking in me. Who knew?

As we start to walk towards my apartment, I struggle to not drag her into every darkened door way we pass and show her just how I'm feeling. I fight to keep myself in check and not betray just how badly I want us to be alone, where we can work together on these new dance steps. Just to be, in some place we where escape who we were, who we are and exist only in and for each other. Where darkness will surround us, keeping us safe.

Sight will no longer be our primary sense, and we'll dance in the dark, learning from each other, taking turns leading, exploring each other through a long, slow journey, letting the rest of our senses guides us through and around the barriers we've put up around ourselves. The sense of smell will envelop us, as the perfumes that are Faith ensnare me, and lead me into her. Next, hearing will be our guide, as the sound of her heartbeat fills my soul, and a soft, sharply drawn inhalation escapes as the warmth of my body moves closer to hers, and she hears my life calling to her. Touch follows, as my hands entwine in her hair, caress her neck and jaw, sliding down her arms, along her waist and finally capture the bare velvet of her skin, and the responding shiver that races through her body as my fingertips tease their way. Finally taste, as I discover all the sources of the intoxicating scents that have tantalized me and enticed me over the years, from her skin, her hair, her breath, her body.

As my thoughts run away with me, I turn and look at Faith. And I realize that, while maybe we've never said a lot of things that we should have, we both always knew the stuff that matters, that while many times we may have been dancing out of step with each other, we were always listening to the same song. We just needed to stop being us for a while, and not think about all that has and hasn't been said. That we just needed to be a man and a woman, to start dancing and everything would fall into place. We always knew the steps.

I feel a smile start to spread across my face and I stop to stare at her. She continues ahead for a few steps and stops abruptly when she realizes I am no longer at her side. She turns slowly and looks, her answering smile beginning before she is even fully looking at me. I don't know what makes me do it - instinct? - but without thinking I open my arms wide to her. And without thinking, she runs straight into them. As I pull her close, into the darkened doorway I had conveniently stopped in front of, I hear her whisper "Let's dance."


End file.
